(Read 2 Chron. 33:1-201Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem: 2But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. 3For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baalim, and made groves, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. 4Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. 5And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. 6And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger. 7And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever: 8Neither will I any more remove the foot of Israel from out of the land which I have appointed for your fathers; so that they will take heed to do all that I have commanded them, according to the whole law and the statutes and the ordinances by the hand of Moses. 9So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel. 10And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken. 11Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him with fetters, and carried him to Babylon. 12And when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 13And prayed unto him: and he was entreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God. 14Now after this he built a wall without the city of David, on the west side of Gihon, in the valley, even to the entering in at the fish gate, and compassed about Ophel, and raised it up a very great height, and put captains of war in all the fenced cities of Judah. 15And he took away the strange gods, and the idol out of the house of the Lord, and all the altars that he had built in the mount of the house of the Lord, and in Jerusalem, and cast them out of the city. 16And he repaired the altar of the Lord, and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings, and commanded Judah to serve the Lord God of Israel. 17Nevertheless the people did sacrifice still in the high places, yet unto the Lord their God only. 18Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, and his prayer unto his God, and the words of the seers that spake to him in the name of the Lord God of Israel, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel. 19His prayer also, and how God was entreated of him, and all his sin, and his trespass, and the places wherein he built high places, and set up groves and graven images, before he was humbled: behold, they are written among the sayings of the seers. 20So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house: and Amon his son reigned in his stead. (2 Chronicles 33:1‑20)).
IN reading this portion of Scripture there is one thing which strikes us very forcibly, and bows the heart before God in thanks-giving; it is this, “Where sin abounded, grace did much inure abound.” And I am sure while we adore and wonder at the grace, we shudder as we think of the sins, horrible in the extreme, and daringly committed by one who had the best surroundings—the greatest privileges, the most light, and therefore the least excuse.
Thus, while we look at Manasseh's history, we are forced to learn two things. First, the best surroundings and greatest privileges do not change a man's heart. Second, the worst possible crimes do not change God's heart, nor hinder the outflow of His grace. Let man be what he may, God is always what he is—“Light and Love"; "Slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy "(Psa. 103:88The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. (Psalm 103:8));" Ready to pardon" (Neh. 9:1717And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not. (Nehemiah 9:17)); "And of great kindness” (Jonah 4:22And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. (Jonah 4:2).) We shall see how it all comes out in this history, which is another Old. Testament picture of man's heart and God's heart.
Manasseh was blessed with a pious father, of whom Scripture says, “He did what was right in the sight of the Lord" (2 Chron. 29:22And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. (2 Chronicles 29:2)). And no doubt Hezekiah would ofttimes speak to his son about the God of
Taught, too, the true worship of Jehovah—encircled continually with religious influences—preserved with that privileged people—thus the history of Manasseh began. Notwithstanding all this, his heart remained untouched, “deceitful above all things, and desperately, wicked" (Jer. 17:99The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)). He was still a stranger to grace, and no sooner was he left to himself, than he sank into the most horrible and debasing crimes. How very solemn What a warning!
Oh, how many, like Manasseh, have had godly parents, who alas! have never had any godliness themselves. Brought up religiously, but still strangers to Christ; born sinners, and have never become saints; gone to church or chapel, but never come to Jesus; holden with the cords of their sins, but have never been drawn by the cords of a man (the Man Christ Jesus), and held by the bands of love: associated with sinners in their sins, but have not been bound up in the bundle of life with Christ. Alas, alas it is true of too many, and “the end of these things is death." Possibly as the eye of the reader is scanning these lines his memory is turning over the leaves of the past, and as he reads, conscience is speaking loudly, demanding a hearing—saying, in unmistakable language, "Thou art the man." Is it so, my friend? Oh, let memory do its work for a while—and as from the well remembered, though fain forgotten, past—there come visions of a happy home, praying parents, kind friends, an earnest Sunday-school teacher, and the boy almost persuaded to be a Christian, when Satan made him his special mark, poured into his ear his fearful lies, steeled his heart against Christ, stopped his ears to the message of love, secretly enticed him into the company of the wicked—then, in course of time all restraint being set aside—madly— recklessly—rushed on in fearful sins, down the broad road which leads to the lake of fire—let conscience be heard for once; do not smother it again, and while this history shows to you the goodness of God surmounting the most fearful array of evil, O may that goodness lead thee to repentance, while God is ready to pardon.
No sooner does Manasseh's father die and he is free to act for himself, than he rushes madly into the most horrible and debasing sins. He built altars for the host of heaven—caused his children to pass through the fire—observed times—used enchantments—used witchcraft—dealt with a familiar spirit—set a carved image in the house of the Lord (v. 5-7). And, to crown all, “He shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another” (2 Kings 21:1616Moreover Manasseh shed innocent blood very much, till he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another; beside his sin wherewith he made Judah to sin, in doing that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. (2 Kings 21:16)). What a fearful catalog of crimes Idolatry—Witchcraft—Murder—and one long course of unrestrained evil, characterizing one who had been brought up from infancy in the very midst of good. And not only doing all this himself—but influencing others: “so that he made the people to do worse than the heathen" (v. 9).
Oh, how terrible. And sad. to say, it is not merely the history of Manasseh; but, alas, it may be said of too many in our own day whose history has closed till the great white throne; and too true of many whose history is fast closing. They have had godly parents and religious training, but they have never been converted to God themselves; then the time came for them to leave the parents' roof and their restraint; going out into the world to make their way through it, they have been ensnared by Satan, led on to the committal of the most fearful sins, and appalling crimes. Yea, some have behaved more like devils incarnate than men; forced on by Satan, who seemed to have taken complete possession of them—maddened by drink, they have rushed on in their sins and brought themselves to an early grave, and an eternal hell; while others are fast following in their steps. Alas! alas! would it were not true. Reader, salvation runs not in the blood—each individual must be converted, and know God for himself.
Now that we have seen Manasseh's sins, the next thing we notice is God's expostulation.
How wonderful to see God expostulating; quietly remonstrating with him, instead of allowing judgment to take its course, and consume this guilty rebel and his associates in evil.
Ah, judgment is His strange work—how slow to judge, how swift to bless. Thus God bears with, and pleads with, Manasseh and his people (v. 10), but their hearts are set in them to do evil. They harden their necks, they will not hear. So in Zedekiah's day (Chron. 36:15, 16.) "God sent to them time after time, but they mocked the messengers—despised His words—misused His prophets—until the wrath of the Lord arose against them, and there was no remedy." Deader, has God been expostulating with you? seeking to reach you, causing both memory and conscience to do their work? Do you remember the earnest gospel actresses and loving appeals you listened to?
How you trembled, how you vowed, what resolutions you formed—and are they kept? Not one—all broken—all gone on to the judgment seat. You heard of God as being ready to pardon—willing to save even the vilest—but you listened to Satan, saying, Only this one sin, but it led to another, until you are almost hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Oh, if not altogether hardened, if there are the faintest desires in your soul for blessing, it is the voice of God, heed it at once—do not mock or despise, lest wrath break out upon you. It is love that seeks to lead you to repentance; if that fails, judgment must fall; but remember, it will be eternal judgment, and all the more terrible when it does come, having been kept back so long by love.
Now we come to Manasseh's sorrows. God will speak more loudly. He has set His heart upon blessing, and who shall hinder? "Wherefore God brought up the captain of the host of the King of Assyria, who took Manasseh among the thorns, and bound him in fetters, and carried him away to Babylon " (v. 11). God will make him hear. “God speaketh once, yea, twice, yet man perceiveth it not... Then he is chastened with pain... Yea, his soul draweth near to the grave, and his life to the destroyer" (Job 33:14, 19, 2214For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. (Job 33:14)
19He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: (Job 33:19)
22Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers. (Job 33:22)). Now see how Manasseh flees, and tries to hide his guilty head among the thorns; but it is God who is after him. There is no getting away from God.
He is found out, bound in fetters, and carried away. Sin always makes cowards of men. Only let God. come in, and like Adam or Manasseh, they flee, or cry out in distress and alarm for some one to come and pray with them. Take care, trifler. God has spoken to you more than once in a quiet way, and you refused to hear and obey. He may speak in a more solemn and serious way next; maybe afflict you with some painful disease—perhaps take away from your side the loved ones and break your heart; and if that fails to bring you to Himself—the rude hand of death may find your heart some day when you least expect it, and still its throbbings forever, while your Christless spirit takes its flight to the deep, dark pit of endless woe.
In his sorrow, Manasseh begins to think of his sins, and the God whom he had despised and provoked to anger, and in his affliction he begins to pray and humble himself greatly (v. 12). Memory and conscience are at work, and the heart is bowed and broken, while the lips are opened in confession and prayer. Ah! affliction clouding the cheek, and death standing at the door, are real things, and force men to seek mercy. When they make their appearance, no need to tell men to pray then—pray they will—pray they must—look how it comet out here in v. 12; look, too, how it comes out in Psa. 107:10-1510Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; 11Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: 12Therefore he brought down their heart with labor; they fell down, and there was none to help. 13Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. 14He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. 15Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107:10‑15). Brought down through their sins—none to help (just like Manasseh)— then they cried; God heard—helped—and delivered. It is all grace. Oh, my reader, ponder this wonderful history, and while you see the goodness of God shining out in such bold relief to all man's sins, let that goodness’ of God which has been manifested in sparing you so long, and which gave Jesus to die foi you, lead you to that Saviour. God expostulates, and says, "Turn ye, why will ye die?”
He beseeches, and says, “Be ye reconciled to God." He invites you to reason with Him, and says, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow." "He commands you to repent." Harden not your heart.
Now we come to Manasseh's blessing. God heard him when poor, penitent, and believing, and " brought him again to his kingdom; then Manasseh knew that the Lord, he was God '' (v. 13). So must it be with every person. Individually, they must know God for themselves. Manasseh has learned his lesson now—then his good works follow and prove the change that has been wrought in him (see verses 14-10). Thus may it be with you, dear friend. If you are a poor, penitent, believing soul, God knows your heart— He has seen your tears—He has heard your groanings and confession, and now He sends a message of love for your faith to lay hold of—it is this, " Through this man (the risen Jesus) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins. And all that believe are justified from all things" (Acts 13:38, 3938Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. (Acts 13:38‑39)).
Believe His message to you and go in peace, and let your whole life after show forth the virtues of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light, as Manasseh's life proved the change wrought in him.
May God, the Holy Ghost, give you to feel your terrible condition—captive in Satan's chains—on the way to the deep, awful dungeon of eternal misery—to eternal imprisonment in the blackness and darkness of night that knows no morning.; awake you up in time, ere the prison doors close on you forever—make you earnest—humble you greatly, and cause you to receive mercy from the hands of that God you have so grievously wronged, and who has so patiently waited and forborne to execute judgment upon you, and now offers you eternal blessings, paid for by the blood of His own dear Son. "If any say I have sinned
... He is gracious to him, and says, deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom" (Job 33:27, 2427He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; (Job 33:27)
24Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. (Job 33:24)). Oh! what a ransom. His owns Son. Will you refuse Jesus? The Lord by His spirit work in your soul and lead you to that confession, and to receive that deliverance from the pit—obtained by Jesus, and offered to you in the gospel.
W. E.